This invention relates to thin panels of non-woody lignocellulosic material. The invention further relates to thin panels of non-woody lignocellulosic material that can be used as core stock in plywood.
Plywood is a glued wood panel comprised of relatively thin layers or plies. The construction usually comprises an odd number of plies with the grain of adjacent layers being at an angle, usually 90 degrees. The outside plies are called faces, or face and back plies. The inner ply or plies are called the core ply or plies, or simply core stock.
The face ply is usually of higher quality than the core stock, particularly where visual appearance is important such as with hardwood plywood used for decorative wall panels, furniture or cabinets.
Although the core stock material currently used is usually a wood veneer of lesser quality than the face plies it nevertheless must possess adequate strength characteristics and be free of holes of any significant size and number.
Non-woody lignocellulosic materials, particularly straw and bagasse, have no substantial commercial value and, in the past, large amounts have been field burned. Environmental concerns have recently curtailed field burning to a large extent.
Coincidentally, it has become increasingly difficult to find adequate supplies of satisfactory wood veneer core stock, particularly for hardwood plywood manufacture.